A Gentleman's Murder

Eric Peterkin, Book 1

De: Christopher Huang

Narrado por: Raphael Corkhill

The year is 1924. The streets of St. James ring with jazz as Britain races forward into an age of peace and prosperity. London's back alleys, however, are filled with broken soldiers and still shadowed by the lingering horrors of the Great War.

Only a few years removed from the trenches of Flanders himself, Lieutenant Eric Peterkin has just been granted membership in the most prestigious soldiers-only club in London: the Britannia. But when a gentleman's wager ends with a member stabbed to death, the victim's last words echo in the lieutenant's head: that he would "Soon right a great wrong from the past".

Eric is certain one of his fellow members is the murderer. But who? Captain Mortimer Wolf, the soldier's soldier thrice escaped from German custody? Second Lieutenant Oliver Saxon, the brilliant codebreaker? Or Captain Edward Aldershott, the steely club president whose Savile Row suits hide a frightening collision of mustard gas scars?

Eric's investigation will draw him far from the marbled halls of the Britannia to the shadowy remains of a dilapidated war hospital and the heroin dens of Limehouse. As the facade of gentlemenhood cracks, Eric faces a Matryoshka doll of murder, vice, and secrets pointing not only to the officers of his own club, but to the very investigator assigned by Scotland Yard.

©2018 Christopher Huang (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Huang surrounds his engaging lead character with a meaty supporting cast, many of whom quickly become suspects with tantalizing motives. The mystery itself is clever and should keep even the most experienced whodunit finders guessings. We hope [this] will be only the first of many Eric Peterkin adventures." ―Booklist

"Dorothy Sayers is alive and well and writing under the name of Christopher Huang. A Gentleman's Murder echoes the traditional mysteries in the best sense: no car chases or explosions, just great characters and a feel for time and place." ―Rhys Bowen, New York Times best-selling author of The Tuscan Child and two-time winner of the Agatha Award

Wish I'd liked it better

Huang put a lot of effort into this one, for which I him full credit; in his Author's Notes at the end, he details the extensive research. The setting, therefore, came through well. So, why only three stars? The characters and plotting not so much.

Where to begin... Eric misses his deceased parents, talking "with" them at their graves. Later in the book, there's a reminiscene of a memory of his mother, but otherwise nothing much (that I recall); nor anything specific from his sister. Would've helped to have perhaps presented a scene from his youth in confronting prejudice, especially involving advice from his father (he was quite young when the mother died). He says he has no resentment that his sister isn't as obviously Asian (to whites), but somehow I'm not buying that wasn't always the case. I just didn't feel I knew him, as though behind a see-through barrier.

A quick followup that we learn very little about his good friend, Avery. Unless I fell asleep or seriously spaced out during the listening, not even how they met? I came away knowing only that he's a sort of Wooster-ish figure with a series tarot fetish! I know a few serious readers, so was struck by his aggressively he pushes readings on people (granted, gratis); that aspect almost completely defines him.

The club members seemed a bit stereotypical (cardboard, I suppose), though a degree of conformity was expected. Not saying they're interchangeable, but that I didn't really care about them. Perhaps the hinted sequel will resolve that?

The murder mystery itself wasn't a bad idea. Indeed, I felt we got to "know" the cold case victim as well as any of the live actors. So, the plotting itself worked okay, just that I didn't feel fully engaged. A note here that the book description's reference to the Limehouse opium den proved disappointing when it came - a rare setting failure by the author.

So, do I recommend the story? Well... yes. I can think of a couple of series I like, where I wasn't fond of the first book. Somehow, I suspect this may be another. On the other hand, many readers loved this one, so if that group ends up including you - congrats!

Solid audio narration a definite plus here!

A wordy but decent story

This is a decent mystery but word to the wise: the writing style is incredibly wordy and repetitive. Also, please take note of the previous warning: the author does not gloss over racist attitudes of the day.

Murder at a Gentlemen's Club

After WWI military men meet at a men's only club. A new member is murdered and this sets off another murder. Tied in is the murder of a nurse four years previously. Like today, racism plays a part in the belief system of the day. Great story with lots of clues and even more suspects.

Excellent!

This book is really for fans of classic detective fiction. All the clues are there... although I'd defy any reader/listener to put them together in the right order. The story is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and, at the end, we get the satisfaction of hearing our amateur detective tie-up every loose end in a clever summation. One of the best things about the story is the setting. Lots of books use a time, a place and a people affected by war, but the war is rarely more than a backdrop or a way to work in a few clues. A Gentleman's Murder weaves the impact of WWI into every character and scene to create emotional authenticity. Exceptionally well written and Raphael Corkhill's narration is outstanding. And bonus! I just found out that Huang's new book is about to be released so I pre-ordered it.

Excellent in all ways

I wasn't sure where this was going but I enjoy books set between the wars. This is an excellent mystery, but also an excellent depiction of WW I and the aftermath. The reader is excellent, perfect for this very English story. The main character is especially interesting, he is half Chinese so a bit of an outsider. This was so good, I would give it 10 stars if I could. Do not miss the author's notes regarding the mystery genre and the historical period.

Looking forward to more!

Loved this golden age mystery who done it! So well done, fabulous mystery, deep characters, history & racial inequity. stories simultaneously. Beautifully narrated. Hoping for more!

Narrator and plot fabulous!

Great characters in well researched post-WWI London. The plot was intricate (in a good way). The narrator is superlative!

great mystery and fantastic narrator.

I enjoyed this mystery. I love the narrators voice. I can't wait to read the next mystery.

Just a good story about a time I wanted to know more about.

Easy to list we n to because of the narrator. Lots of characters to track but that was part of the mystery. Hope to have more from this author and these characters.

Old-Style Mystery Well Done

I think Rhys Bowen's review says it all...."A Gentleman's Murder echoes the traditional mysteries in the best sense: no car chases or explosions, just great characters and a feel for time and place." It's worth the listen.